Plans for a world-class 7000-seat games arena, athlete village and five-star hotel on the Sunshine Coast has been revealed by Walker Corporation in their Horizon Centre proposal.
Designed to be a premier destination for Brisbane 2032, the state-of-the-art Horizon Centre has the capacity to host Olympic action, and provide accommodation for 1400 athletes and guests, cementing the Sunshine Coast as a key games and tourism destination and delivering a major legacy for Queensland.
Plans for the Horizon Centre have been submitted in a detailed submission to the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority’s (GIICA) Brisbane 2032 Olympics 100-Day Review.
The detailed submission focused on the legacy outcomes for the Sunshine Coast whilst delivering key infrastructure needed for the Games. The 1400 athlete beds will transform into much needed accommodation for the Coast, whilst the 7000-seat multi-format arena will evolve into a world-class arts, music, convention, entertainment and exhibition centre, finally unlocking the region’s potential to host the biggest global concerts and events.
Walker managing director and chief executive officer David Gallant said this was a game-changing opportunity to enhance Queensland’s Olympic legacy.
“This will be an iconic destination that delivers major events for sports, entertainment, the arts, conventions, exhibitions and other community uses, enabling Queensland to reap the benefits for decades to come, after putting on the best Olympic Games ever,” Mr Gallant said.
“The Horizon Centre has always been central to the Maroochydore City Centre vision to create a landmark economic and social hub which drives growth and unlocks opportunity for the Sunshine Coast, so we are excited to accelerate the delivery of this asset, to create a powerful Brisbane 2032 legacy.”
The six-star Green Star Horizon Centre development will integrate with a multi-modal transport system to maximise usability of public and active transport.
The highly sustainable precinct will also deliver large areas of open space, tailor made for athletes to relax between competition and provide long term recreation areas for the Sunshine Coast community.
The project will be delivered as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Australia’s largest diversified private property company Walker Corporation, Australia’s top private construction company Built and global leading architects Woods Bagot.
Walker has over 50 years’ experience delivering urban transformations, previously partnering with Built to complete over $3 billion of projects together across Australia, as well as delivering some iconic urban precincts with Woods Bagot.
Walker Group executive of development Peter Saba said the PPP will enable the private sector to provide the necessary funding needed to begin the $1 billion Horizon Centre sooner, ensuring delivery certainty and the quality to exceed Brisbane 2032 requirements.
“By uniting the combined strengths of the public and private sectors through the PPP model, a balanced approach to risk sharing will enable innovative, legacy driven outcomes to be realised on time and on budget,” Mr Saba said.
“The PPP model provides the certainty needed to deliver the Sunshine Coast the multi-use arts, music, convention, entertainment and exhibition centre the region has been in desperate need of for decades, while ultimately giving the Coast a world class venue to host more Olympic competition or heats action.”
The Horizon Centre will have dedicated car parking and capitalise on Maroochydore City Centre’s 10-minute connection to the Sunshine Coast International Airport and major transport routes, becoming the economic, cultural and civic heart of the region and a catalyst for global events, tourism and investment.
The Horizon Centre proposal is currently under review with GIICA, which is set to present its recommendation from the 100-Day Review to the Queensland Government in March 2025.
